1969 Chevrolet Camaro Hardtop Sport Coupe

When the Camaro was introduced in 1967, the Super Sport version was available only with an exclusive-to-the-Camaro 350 V8. Chevrolet soon offered its larger 396 in the Camaro to do battle with the new 390 Mustang.

A 427 was in the Chevy engine roster and could be ordered in the big Biscayne/Bel Air/Impala/Caprice and the Corvette. Bug GM's edict banning sponsorship of racing, as well as a policy limiting the hp/weight ratio for all cars except Corvettes, prevented the 427's installation in the Camaro. However, by 1969, the fierce competition was slighting Chevy's reputation and sales. What to do? Enter the COPO System!

The Central Office Production Order system permitted small batches of specially equipped cars, such as those for local utilities, to be built. Someone figured out that it could also be used to produce cars that weren't normally allowed due to corporate restrictions - such as a 427-powered Camaro.

A special Corvette L88 427 with a weight-saving cast-aluminum block was offered as a Camaro COPO. Coded ZL-1, the aluminum engine alone cost $4,000. As few racers could spend money on a car costing twice as much as the average muscle car - and with a less costly cast-iron COPO 425/427 also available, only 69 ZL-1 Camaros were built. All were 'base' Camaros; the plain exterior belies the car's true nature. The ZL-1 was rated at 430 horsepower, but headers raised output to a rumored 560 horsepower, making it the most powerful Camaro ever.